Obama in recent days has spelled out his preferences on two measures aimed at curbing health care costs. He has told lawmakers he wants at least a pared-down tax on high-cost insurance plans, which is opposed by labor and House Democrats, and favors a commission with power to order cuts to Medicare spending in some circumstances. link

never ending war effort.

The Obama administration plans to ask Congress for an additional $33 billion to fight unpopular wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, on top of a record request for $708 billion for the Defense Department next year, The Associated Press has learned.

The administration also plans to tell Congress next month that its central military objectives for the next four years will include winning the current wars while preventing new ones and that its core missions will include both counterinsurgency and counter terrorism operations. link

KSM was waterboarded 168 times, wasn't he?  Am I missing something here?

Washington (CNN) - Democrat Martha Coakley dodged a pointed question Tuesday about her claim during a Massachusetts Senate debate the night before that terrorists are no longer in Afghanistan.

During Monday's debate with Republican Scott Brown, Coakley questioned why the United States still has troops in Afghanistan. She claimed that the al Qaeda terrorists who were originally targeted by American military action have migrated elsewhere, rendering the mission moot. "They're gone," she said. "They're not there anymore. They're in, apparently Yemen, they're in Pakistan."

A reporter asked Coakley about that claim after a Capitol Hill fundraiser on Tuesday. "Do you stand by that remark?" he asked.

Coakely, standing before a small cluster of reporters and cameras, listened to the question, then quickly looked in a different direction.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Did anybody else have a question?"